The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-07-21
SPIDERS AND THEIR WAYS.
Specimens That Are Noted For Their
Cunning - Remarkable as Archi-
tects and UphOlsteI

tects and UpholsteI crs.
Among the many things that the ap-
proach OF summer brings for one to en-
joy. or to be source of annoyance. is
the spider. The spider family is very
numerous, no less than fifty kinds be-
ing described by naturalists. All spid-
ers have eight legs, with three joints
in each, and terminating In thin, crook
ed claws. They also have eight eyes,
differently arranged according to the
species. Some have them In straight
line, others in the shape of a capital V.
others four above and four below,
others two above, two below, and two
on either side, and there are still others
that have them arranged in a manner
too complicated to describe without
drawings. On the front part of the
head they have Il pair of sharp, crooked
claws, or forceps, which stand hori-
zontally, and which, when not in use,
are hidden from view in little cases
beautifully adapted for their reception,
and in which they fold up like clasp
knife, and remain there between two
rows of teeth. When the spider bites
it thrusts white proboscis out of its
mouth, with which it instills poison
Gus liquid into the wound. The abdo-
men, or hind part of the spider, is
small, threadlike tube. The outer
skin is hard, polished crust.
A very curious specimen not often
found in this country, but which is said
to be very common in Italy, is the hunt
ing spider, so called because instead of
spinning to entrap its prey it jumps
upon its victim. 1t is small, and of
brown color, beautifully spotted, and
its hind legs are longer than the Others
When 1t sees a fly three or four yards
distant, it plans its attack with con-
siderable dcliberation, creeping softly
up and seldom m ssing its object When
in direct line, the spider springs upon
the back of the unsuspecting fly and
catches it by the head, and after salts
flying its hunger carries the rest away
for future consumption.
The nest of this spider is very curl
GUS. 1t is about two inches high. and
is composed of close, satin-like tex
turc. In this are two chambers, placed
rpendicularly, in which the spider
resposes during the day. generally
doing his hunting after nightfall. The
parent regularly instructs her young
how to pursue their future ayocation,
and when in the course of their nstruc-
ton they happen to miss jump, they
run away and hide as though ashamed
of their failure.
nxr{, II 60 Al,k
of the mason spider. Il native of the
tropics. This nest is formed of very
hard clay, deeply colored with oxide of
iron. 1t is in the form of tube. about
one inch in diameter and six or seven
inches long. 1t is lined with uniform
| tapestry of orange-colord silken web, of
| a texture rather thicker than fine paper.
This lining is useful in two ways. 1t
prevents the wall of the house from
| falling down, and, as it is connected
with the door, it enables the spider to
know what is going on above, for the
whole vibrates when one part is touched.
| 10 one who has never seen this nest the
| word door may seem singular, but,
nevertheless, there is a door, and a
very ingeniously contrived one, too,
and it is regarded as one of the most
curious things in the whole of insect
architecture. 1t is Il little rou nd piece,
made to fit the opening, slightly convex
inside and concave on the other de.
1t is composed of twelve or more layers
of web similar to that with which the
nest is lined, laid very closely together,
and SO managed that the inner layers
are the broadcast, the others gradually
diminishing in size. except near the
the hinge, which is about an inch long.
All the layers are united and prolonged
into the tube; consequently it is the
firmest and strongest portion of the
whole structure. The material is so
elastic that the hinge shuts as though
it had spring.
! The nest is always made on slop-
ing bank. and one side is higher than
the other. the hinge being invariably
placed on the highest side. The spider
knows we'll that when placed in this
way the door will fall and close itself
when pushed from the outside. and SO
nicely does it fit in the little groove
made for it that the most careful OBJ
server can scarcely discover where the
joint is. Should the door be removed,
| another one will soon be put in it's
place. These spiders hunt their prey
by night, and devour them in the nest.
pair of spiders, with twenty or thirty
young ones, often live in one of these
! nests.
One of the largest nests to be met
with in this country is that of the laby-
rinthic spider, whose web everyone
has seen, spread out like broad sheet
in the hedges. The middle of this web,
which is of very close texture, is sus-
pended like sailors hammock by fine
silken threads fastened to higher
branches. The whole curves upward,
sloping down to long. funnel shaped
gallery, nearly horizontal at the en-
trance, but winding oblquely until it
becomes almost perpendicular. This
gallery is about quarter of an inch In
diameter, is more closely woven than
the sheet part of the web, and general
ly descends into hole in the ground
or in soft tuft of grass. Here is the
SPIDERS dwelling place. where he may
be found resting. with his legs extend
ed, ready to spring and catch the help
less insects which get entangled in his
sheet net.
The most famous of all spiders is the
tarantula. 1t is an inhabitant of Italy,
Cyprus, and the East Indies. It's
breast and abdomen are ash colored,
as are also the wings. which have
blackish rings on the inner side. Its
eyes are red. two OF them being larger
than the others, and placed in the front
OF its head. Four others are placed
in transverse direction near the
mouth, and the remaining two are
close to the back. 1t generally lives
in bare fields where the land is soft,
and it avoids damp, shady places, pre-
ferring rising ground.
Its nest is four inches deep, half an
inch wide, and curved Mt the bottom,
and here the insect retreats in unfavor-
able weather, weaving a web at the
door for security against rain and
dampness. In July 1t cast its skin and
lays eggs to the number of 730, but
| does not live to rear the yOunp. as It